Immigrated from Switzerland
married
Married
Eve Susanna Albright
married
Lydia Stahl
Married
Susanna Sholly
Married July 27 1899
Anna Celestia Houser 1882-1930
George Emery Sulouff 1904-1987
married
Elizabeth Jane Witmer
married
Elizabeth Jane Witmer
Carl Lucion Sulouff
married
J.H. Beers & Co. Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania (Volume p. 615-1231)
S. STAHL, a prominent representative of
the agricultural interests of Union township,
Snyder county, belongs to an old and honored
family of Swiss extraction which was founded
here previous to the nineteenth century.
His great-grandfather, Frederick Stahl, was a
native of Switzerland, and previous to coming to
Snyder county lived for a time near Hummels-
town, Penn. Here he located near Freeburg, in
Washington township, where his death occurred.
He was married in this country, and became the
father of three sons: Adam, the grandfather of
our subject; Peter, who went to Wayne county,
Ohio, during pioneer days; and Frederick, of
whom nothing is known.
Adam Stahl was born June 30, 177S, and was
but a boy when he accompanied his parents on
their removal to Snyder county, where he sub-
sequently married Eve Susanna Albright, who
was born May 10, 1782. Her father, Frederick
Albright, was one of the very earliest settlers of
Flintstone Valley, where he located several years
previous to 1788, as a warrant for land was
issued to him November 27 of that year. His
farm, comprising 159 acres in Washington town-
ship, Snyder county, was called " Garter Snake."
On September 22, 1800, Adam Stahl purchased
of his father-in-law sixty-two acres of the " Gar-
ter Snake " tract, where he continued to live
until 1822, and upon the place conducted a dis-
tillery, being one of twelve in Washington town-
ship at that time engaged in that business. On
leaving that farm he removed to Union township,
Snyder county, where he passed his remaining
days, dying October 16, 1863. His wife had
died on the 3d of April, of the same year, and
both were laid to rest in Reiser cemetery. Union
township. He was a powerful man, weighing
about 220 pounds, was a shoemaker by trade, a
Whig in politics, and a Lutheran in religious
belief.
The children of Adam Stahl and wife were
as follows: Lydia, who married Jacob Sholly,
and died in Union township; Frederick, a farmer,
who died in Monroe township, Snyder county;
Jacob, who died in Wayne county, Ohio; Peter,
who died at the age of five years; Mary, who
(first) wedded Henry Whitmer and (later) Simon
Sholly, and survived both husbands, dying in
Union township; Susanna married Jacob Leaven-
good, and spent her last days in Ohio; John, the
father of our subject; Daniel, the only survivor,
who is still living on his farm in Union township,
where he has now made his home for seventy-
five years; Samuel, who died in Chapman town-
ship, leaving two sons, Adam and George, the
former a merchant and banker of Kansas, and
the latter a teacher in the Pittsburg schools;
Elizabeth, who married D. J. Heintzelman, and
died at Port Trevorton, Snyder county, and
COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
1063
Benjamin, who was a Union soldier during the
Civil war, and died in Iowa.
NearFreeburg, in Washington township, John
Stahl, our subject's father, was born October 20,
1813. and was about nine years old when he was
taken by his parents to the new home in Union
township, where he was reared and continued to
remaiij for several years after attaining his
majority. At Freeburg, in 1840, 'Squire Mohr
performed a marriage ceremony which united the
destinies of John Stahl and Miss Mary Shotz-
berger, who was born in Chapman township,
October 28, 1S18, and never attended school but
about a month during her entire life, while her
husband had no educational advantages. She,
however, became able to read the German Bible,
but was entirely unfamiliar with the English
language. Her parents were Jonathan and
Catharine (Matter) Shotzberger. Her father was
born September 26, 1783, and died February 4,
1859, while the mother was born April 3, 1794,
and died August 29, 1874, the remains of both
being interred in Reiser cemetery, Union town-
ship. After his marriage John Stahl located on
the old Stahl farm in Union township, which he
and his brother Daniel operated for a short time,
and then he rented the old Sechrist farm for
three years. At the end of that period he pur-
chased a farm in Union township, where he con-
tinued to make his home for many years, and
where our subject was born May 19, 1841. The
other children were as follows:
(i) Levi Stahl, born October 16, 1842, inter-
married on July I, 1866, with Catharine Benner,
whose parents were Christian and Sarah Benner,
and to them were born the following children —
Hiram B. , born January 30, 1867, died Decem-
ber 5, 1870; Henry, born September 20, 1868,
died December 29, 1870; Harvey, born Decem-
ber 16, 1869, who in 1889 went to Nebraska,
was married May 6, 1894; and is now in partner-
ship with his brother Christian, owns and oper-
ates a farm in Nebraska; Mary, born March 3,
1 87 1, was but fourteen years old when her
mother died, took charge of the family and helped
her father raise the children, and, when all have
left but one, she still remains to keep house for
her father, who is a blacksmith and farmer;
Christian, born July i, 1873, went to Nebraska
in 1892, and later became a partner in a farm
with his brother Harvey, and now assists him in
farming; Sarah, born August 27, 1874, married
to Benjamin Benner, and now lives at Shamokin,
Penn. ; Meta, born October i, 1875, married to
John Stauffer,and lives in Iowa; Allen, born March
I, 1S77, went to Iowa in 1896, where he now
resides. James, born September 11, 1878, died
November 8, 1878; Ammon, born December 20,
1880, now lives with his father in Union town-
ship.
(2) William S. Stahl, born June 23, 1844, in-
termarried on September 11, 1870. with Lydia
Row, whose parents were Peter and Lydia (Fet-
ter) Row, and to them were born the following
children: John Keamer, born April 7, 1871;
Annie Matilda, born April 17, 1873; James
Franklin, born May 22, 1877; Jacob Peter, born
February 3, 1879; Jonas Aaron, born March 27,
1 88 1; Jeremiah Melanchton, born March 31,
1883; and Lewis Edward, born February 15,
1886, died August 7, 1888; the others are all
living in Penn township. The above mentioned
Annie Matilda Stahl was married on September
10, 1S93, to Oscar Herman, and they have a
child, Mary Jane Herman, born March 7, 1S94.
(3) Hannah Stahl, born December 19, 1845.
intermarried on July 23, 1863, with William
Krebs, and to them were born the following chil-
dren: Jennie and George, who live in Delaware,
and Franklin, a merchant in Philadelphia, Penn-
sylvania.
(4) Aaron S. Stahl, born October 4, 1849, in-
termarried with Salome Martin, and to them
si.x children were born: Charles W. intermarried
with Gertie Coryell; William is a news agent at
the Pennsylvania depot, Sunbury, Penn. ; Jennie,
who died in infancy; Howard, Omar and Delia,
all living at Sunbury, Pennsylvania.
(5) Leah J. Stahl, born May 5, 1854, inter-
married on December 24, 1871, with John S.
Aucker, and to them were born eight chil-
dren: Nora L., born July 10, 1873, intermarried
on December 24, 1896, with Joseph M. Wal-
born; Charles E., born March 31, 1875, O" Au-
gust 25, 1S94, intermarried with Kate Witmer,
and to them was born a daughter, Esther Marie,
on April 15, 1895; Rosa E. , born May 17, 1877,
intermarried on April 4, 1897, with George A.
Foltz; Arthur E., born February 15, 1779;
Francis E. , born March 27, 1882; Harry M.,
born March i, 18S4; Robert F., born June 16,
1886; and Earnest Guy, born December 20.
1893; all are living in Union township.
(6) Hiram S. Stahl, born September 3, 1857,
intermarried on January 8, 1882, with Annie
Laura Miller, and to them five children were
born, three of whom died in infancy, and the
other two are living in Washington township
with their parents — Olive Annette, born April 7,
1885; and Mary Cathrine, born May 3, 1887.
The mother of our subject and of the foregoing
family, who was a consistent member of the
Lutheran Church, died July 12, 1868, and was
buried in Reiser cemetery.
1064
COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
After the death of his first wife. John Stahl
sold his farm .to his son Levi, with whom he
made his home for a short time and afterward
lived with our subject. On November 19, 1S71,
he was again married, his second union being
with Mrs. Mary Readig, 7u'e Bickle, who was the
widow of Thomas Readig. Mr. Stahl departed
this life Januarj' 12, 1879, and was also laid to rest
in Reiser cemetery. While not a member of any
Church, he gave liberally to religious work, was
a peaceful, law-abiding citizen, and a Democrat
in politics. He possessed much mechanical skill,
was a man of sound judgment and good business
ability, and, as a farmer, accumulated a comfort-
able competence through his own unaided effort.
As E. S. Stahl was the eldest son, and work
■ was plentiful upon the home farm, he was unable
to attend school as much as he would have liked
during his early boyhood, and at the age of eight-
een could scarcely speak a word of English, his
school training having been all in German. His
first teacher was John Ziegler. He was reared
in much the usual manner of farmer boys, and
by work in the harvest and hay fields managed to
save enough money to purchase his books and
pay his tuition at Freeburg Academy, which he
entered April 2, i860. Here he prepared him-
self for teaching, and for five terms successfully
followed that profession in Monroe, Penn and
Union townships, Snyder county.
On September 27, 1863, Mr. Stahl was united
in marriage with Miss Julia Crissinger, w'ho was
born in Northumberland county, Penn., January
I, 1842, a daughter of John and Christina A,
(Wolfe) Crissinger. They began housekeeping
near Fisher's school house in Penn township,
where Mr. Stahl was engaged in teaching, and
later lived on the Noll farm in Union towmship.
Subsequently he operated the Hoover Mill farm
in Penn township, and in 1868 purchased the
farm of 100 acres of rich land, where he still lives,
buying the same of Samuel Pottiger. The log
house standing upon the place continued to be
his home for nearly twenty years, but in 1887
he replaced it by a substantial brick residence.
A good barn was built in 1S83, and the other
buildings are all in keeping with the neat and
thrifty appearance of the place, which is regarded
as one of the model farms of Union township.
Four children came to brighten the home of
Mr. and Mrs. Stahl, namely: Ida G. , born July
10, 1864, is successfully engaged in teaching
school; Sarah P., born October 12, 1865, is the
wife of Frank Brown and has two children, Ida
E. and Oliver R. ; J. Ammon, born January i,
1867, is professor of the schools at Bancroft,
Neb.; and William O., born July 28, 1868, died
July 25, 1887. Of these, Ida G. and J. Ammon
entered the Freeburg Academy, while Major W.
H. Dill, the best and most efficient teacher the
county ever had, was principal, to whom they
give the honor of having gained an education.
Both hold diplomas from that institution, and
permanent certificates issued by the State De-
partment of Education of Pennsylvania. Both
commenced teaching at the age of seventeen.
Ida G. has successfully taught thirteen terms,
which vocation she is engaged in now. J. Am-
mon taught five terms in Pennsylvania, and in
1889 went to Schuyler, Neb., where he taught
three terms, then entered the University at Lin-
coln, Neb., continued his studies two years, was
then elected principal of the schools at Bancroft,
Neb., where he successfully taught four terms of
nine months each, and is employed for another
term.
Our subject is a Democrat in politics, but is
not strictly partisan, and often supports men out-
side of his party when he considers them best
fitted for the office. He has capably served as
school director, and in 1892 was appointed to fill
the unexpired term of D. S. Sholly as justice of
the peace, to which position he has since been
elected, and which he is now filling in a most
creditable manner. Both he and his wife are
faithful members of the Reformed Church, in
which he has served as deacon and superintend-
ent of the Sunda3*-school for several years. He
at one time held membership in the Grange, and
also in the Odd Fellows Society, but at present he
is connected with no fraternal order. An an in-
fluential and public-spirited citizen, he stands
deservedly high in the esteem of the entire com-
munity, and is a pleasant, agreeable and hospi-
table man, who keeps well informed on the lead-
ing questions of the day.
From Floyd's History of Northumberland County -
Adam Stahl, a native of Northampton county, Pa., became a pioneer settler in Union county, this State, in that part now embraced in Snyder county. He had a farm in Union township, three miles west of Port Trevorton, near Keiser's Church, and besides farming distilled applejack and rye whiskey. He died at an advanced age, late in the fifties, and is buried in the cemetery at Keiser's Church. He and his wife were Lutherans in religious faith. He is remembered as a venerable old man, with long white hair hanging down over his shoulders. His children were: Benjamin and Jacob, both of whom settled in Ohio; Daniel, who settled on the homestead farm; Frederick, who settled on a farm adjoining the homestead; John, who settled on a farm adjoining the homestead; Mrs. Jacob Sholly; Mrs. Dieter Heintzleman; and Mrs. Simon Sholly. John Stahl, son of Adam, was born in 1814 in what is now Snyder county, and received the limited educational advantages there afforded in his boyhood, but as soon as old enough, to be of any use he was put to work helping to clear the land and get it under cultivation. The winters were occupied in pulling stumps and other work for which there was no time in the summer season, so he had little opportunity to attend even such indifferent schools as were conducted in the neighborhood at that time. But he prospered by industry and owned his own farm. He died July 12, 1879, and is buried in the cemetery at Keiser's Church. He and his family were Lutherans in religion. He married Mary Shotsberger, daughter of Jonathan Shotsberger, and she preceded him to the grave, dying July 12, 1868, aged fifty years. All of the seven children born to them survive: Elias S., of Selinsgrove, Pa.; Levi, who lives on his father's homestead at Verdilla, Snyder county; William, who lives two and a half miles west of Selinsgrove, in Penn township, Snyder county; Hannah, widow of William Krebs, living at Wyoming, Del.; Aaron S.; Leah, who married John Aucker and lives near Keiser's Church; and Hiram, who lives near Thompson, in Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania. AARON S. STAHL, son of John, was born Oct. 4, 1849, in Snyder county, Pa., was reared to farm life and educated in the local public schools. At the age of twenty he went to learn shoemaking, to which trade he devoted all his attention for the next thirteen years, in Freeburg, Snyder county. He learned the business thoroughly, becoming a skillful mechanic, able to turn out all kinds of footwear, and made many gaiter shoes in the days of their popularity. Wooden shoe pegs were in general use at the time he took up the work, but he kept abreast of the progress of the times and improved his products whenever possible, taking out patents of his own and showing a spirit of enterprise throughout his connection with the business. He did repairing and had a good trade for custom work, making boots for which he received from six to fourteen dollars. After giving up the shoe business Mr. Stahl farmed for a time, and then for five years conducted the "Mount Pleasant Hotel." At the end of that time he removed to Shamokin Dam, and thence, in 1890, to Sunbury, where he has since made his home. In Sunbury he and his son Charles W. Stahl started Stahl's restaurant, at the present site of the "Aldine Hotel" and conducted the establishment successfully for a period of three years in partnership, the father then selling his interest to his son and taking the "City Hotel" at Danville, Pa., which he carried on for six months. In 1899 he engaged in the insurance business, which he has since continued, having his office at No. 336 Market Street. Mr. Stahl has established an excellent patronage in this line. He is a capable business man, and has the confidence END OF PAGE 767 of his patron's, who are numerous in Sunbury and the surrounding territory. On Feb. 25, 1872, Mr. Stahl married Salome Martin, daughter of George and Mary (Schaffer) Martin, who lived in Washington township, Snyder county, and seven children have been born to this union: Charles W., proprietor of a leading restaurant at Sunbury; William E., who is engaged in business in Sunbury; John Howard, who is engaged in business at Lewisburg; George Omar, telegraph operator in the employ of the Pennsylvania Railway Company, at Sunbury; Della G., who married O. P. Bell and lives at Williamsport, Pa.; and Mary and Harry, who died in infancy. Mr. Stahl and his family are members of the Reformed Church, and politically he is a Democrat.
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